Having experience with electromechanics - I have seen times where this was done on purpose to make sure that people aren't trying to reuse an incompatible plug for charging purposes. NiCd doesn't charge the same as LiFePo, Li-ion, etc. Charging voltages, polarities, stability of power output, etc.

To be fair though, they just need to make everything USB-C anyhow. Especially shavers.

the new trimmer, the charger is USB-A only. Where's the previous one had the plug on it instead.

Maybe I'm confused.

Your new trimmer takes in USB (Low Voltage DC) power.

Your old trimmer took in Plug (High Voltage AC) power.

If that's the case, yeah of course the plugs would be different? You'd fry the new one with the old plug.

Are you sure they charge with the same specifications? This might just be to avoid potential fire hazards & damage.

Nice of then to make sure you cant accidentally blow up your new razor because you assumed the old cable would work if it fit.

The old cable supplies 15V, which would fry your shaver that is expecting 5V

Is the charge voltage the same on both?

I have both of these and one charger is 8v and the other is 15v.

Isn't it to make sure that you're not mixing two incompatible chargers? I have 2 Philips chargers that do fit (as far as I can see), but are not the same voltage. I've previously also had something like this where 2 fitting chargers were completely different electrically, one 12V AC and the other 9V DC. One time a family member mixed them up, bit luckily the extra voltage didn't fry anything. I don't mind having to get an extra charger of it prevents me from doing something dumb and frying my electronics.

I can tell you for certain, I measured my plug phiips (foil and 'one') and they are both 14VDC. So short answer is that the plug charger would blow up the usb trimmer you have (which is 5VDC).

The reason I know this and measured them, was because I wasnt sure the two plug chargers were the same, and I didnt want to blow up my philips one.

God, why don't they just make it usb-c PD and be done with it?

Make sure the voltage and power requirements are the same. Maybe the old one cannot deliver enough juice for the new one.

That's one reason a lot of device designers go for USB C proper: it supports multiple voltages and multiple power levels, and in a way where the devices shouldn't be able to pull too much power from a smaller charger. (assuming they implemented the spec and didn't just use the plug anyways) In theory, one smart charger with enough oomph could charge anything that sticks to spec up to 240W.

are the voltages actually the same?

Philips was a great company decades ago. They've really gone to shit. Especially their CPAP fiasco (Respironics recall).

If they are the same voltage just take a razor and shave some of the material away, I had to do this to get a c7 connector to fit into my xbox one, the rubber was just molded too far to fit

The charging requirements have likely changed so the plug was redesigned sup you don't fry your new shaver using the old plug/adapter.

Everyone of my Phillips trimmers use a different shaped port

They all do this. Every time.

I’ll await the EU enforcing USB-C here too.

The battery died on my old shaver. Because I can't leave well enough alone, I decided to see if I could replace it. Spent so much time tracking down the battery model number and looking for a replacement only to find out it's a standard triple a. It's identity was obfuscated by the stupid labeling. Soldered it in and bam, razor still works for several years.

So infuriating that they would send you a charger that works with the device 😤😤 how fucking dare they

My Philips shaver does not work whilst charging. What's that all about?

Luckily the battery is good but it gives very little warning when its about to run out. I dont grow facial hair very quickly or very thickly but several times I've had to leave the house partially shaved. Doesn't make any sense. That's the whole point of electricity, to use stuff whilst plugged in!